The present invention is directed to a heat spreader, which can be used for transferring heat away from a heat source, e.g., to a heat sink; to an assembly having the heat spreader in contact with the heat source, e.g., between the heat source and the heat sink; and to methods of manufacturing the heat spreader and the assembly.
The present invention is especially directed to such heat spreader, to an electronic assembly having such heat spreader, and methods of manufacturing such heat spreader and electronic assembly, wherein the electronic assembly includes an electronic component (for example, a semiconductor chip) which is a source of a high density or concentration of heat, and the electronic assembly includes the heat spreader between the electronic component and the heat sink (the heat spreader being in contact with a surface of the electronic component via, e.g., a thermally conductive adhesive, and also being in contact with a surface of the heat sink via, e.g., a thermally conductive adhesive).
Electronic components, such as semiconductor chips, are becoming smaller while heat dissipation requirements are increasing. Currently, in order to dissipate heat generated by these electronic components, heat spreaders are utilized between the electronic component and a heat sink; heat spreaders currently in use are made of a solid thermally conductive metal or are constituted by a heat pipe. However, these heat spreaders made of a solid thermally conductive metal or a heat pipe have various disadvantages. For example, the solid conductive metal has limited ability to spread heat, and has limited thermal conductivity characteristics. Heat pipes are expensive, large and have a fluid system (that is, are not completely solid) that can have reliability problems, including leakage problems. Moreover, solid heat spreaders and heat pipes currently in use are heavy.
The foregoing and a better understanding of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of example embodiments, and claims, when read in connection with the accompanying drawing figure, all forming a part of the disclosure of the present invention. While the foregoing and following written and illustrated disclosure focuses on disclosing example embodiments of the present invention, it should be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not limited thereto. The spirit and scope of the present invention is limited only by the terms of the appended claims.
The following represents a brief description of the drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a mounted electronic assembly according to an illustrative aspect of the present invention; and
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a mounted electronic assembly according to a further illustrative aspect of the present invention,